Low Temperature Fast-Charging Li Ion Batteries Enabled by f-Orbital Hybridization Induced TiNb₂O₇ Electronic Structure

Li-ion batteries for electric vehicles and aviation require fast charging, long cycle life, and a wide operating temperature range. However, the lack of anode materials that offer both high capacity and stability at high charging/discharging rates significantly impedes their development. Herein, the introduction of lanthanide with f-Orbital electronic configurations widens the ion transport channels and significantly alters the original electronic structure, leading to a notable improvement in acceleration kinetics. X-ray absorption spectroscopy is employed to depict lanthanide earth elements that can lower lattice strain and accelerate the diffusion of Li⁺. The Tm_0.01-TNO delivers an outstanding specific capacity of 150.9 mAh g⁻¹ at 50 C. Even at low temperatures (−30 °C), Tm_0.01-TNO exhibits stable cycling performance with 100% capacity retention over 500 cycles at 1 C. This work demonstrates an enormous promise for scalability in practical low-temperature applications.